The National Weather Service Forecasts-

TODAY...SNOW SHOWERS DIMINISHING IN THE AFTERNOON. SNOW
ACCUMULATION 1 TO 3 INCHES. HIGHS AROUND 36. EAST WIND 10 MPH.

TONIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY. SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS IN THE EVENING. LOWS 21 TO 27. NORTHWEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. CHANCE OF SNOW THROUGH THE DAY.
CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS 30 TO 35. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT...SNOW AND RAIN. LOWS 28 TO 34. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

THURSDAY...RAIN AND SNOW LIKELY. HIGHS AROUND 39. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

Pay Attention Folks because here it comes!!!

Currently we have multiple weak layers in place. From Near Surface Faceted Crystals, to weak layers buried beneath wind slabs, to surface faceting.

With the addition of this new load in the form of precipitation(SNOW) and wind loading Danger Levels are CONSIDERABLE at this time. Natural Avalanches are Possible and Human Triggered Avalanches Likely.

Todays danger and tomorrows danger will stay the same. As we see increased moisture and warming into Thursday danger levels could increase.

Areas of instability are not currently widespread, yet areas of instability can be easily found. Yesterday skier triggering was easy on steeper open slopes and any place windloaded. Most activity was surface oriented. The deeper weak layers in place appear to be holding well at this time. This deeper weak layer could become reactive again on Thursday with the increased precipitation rates.

We have seen many natural avalanche releases in the last 5 days simply do to loading from the wind. At this time with new snow and additional windloading we expect to see this buried weak layer become even more reactive.

This new snow started on Saturday at 6 F Degrees. Extremely cold snow does not tend to bond well to the old snow surface especially with some great areas of surface faceting in place. The temperatures have warmed up over 25 degrees since that time.

We are expecting continued snow over the next 4 days. During this time the temperatures are expected to warm up by as much as another 5 degrees. That could account for as much as 30 degrees of warming during a 5 day period accompanied by precipitation.

This will definitely place heavy dense snow on top of looser lighter snows in place that have very little cohesiveness or bond to the old snow surface.

During this event if temperatures come up as expected and if we see the moisture predicted in the forecast look to see danger levels rising through HIGH and slide sizes growing as we see this new snow accumulate.

Be extremely cautious in the Backcountry.

Danger level will rise considerably Thursday.

Remember, Choose safe lines, Limit your exposure, Carry a transceiver, probe, shovel and never travel in the backcountry without a trained partner.

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EVERY SATURDAY IN JANUARY

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Juneau Mountain Rescue
Southeast Alaska Avalanche Center

Saturdays in January from 1-3:30 PM

Meet at the Eaglecrest Avalanche Beacon Training Park

Saturday January 8th - Avalanche Transceivers, Single Search

Saturday January 15th- Multiple Transceiver Searches

Saturday January 22nd- Strategic Shoveling

Saturday January 29th - Companion Rescue Overview- Live Recovery Exercise

For More information Call Tom @ 209-92